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Kathleen specializes in estate, business and executive benefits planning, and estate and executive compensation planning with life insurance.
Formerly, she was a member of the Advanced Markets Group of MetLife, where she provided training and advanced underwriting support for the top producers of MetLife and its subsidiaries. Prior to joining GenAmerica Financial (a MetLife company) in 1996, she was in private practice.
Kathleen graduated from St. Louis University with degrees in Accounting and Theatre. She received her law degree and LL.M. in Taxation from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
She is licensed to practice in Missouri, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Kathleen received The Gary I. Boren Memorial Award for attaining the highest overall grade point average in the LL.M. program.
Kathleen has been named a Missouri Super Lawyer from 2012-2021 in Estate Planning.
She was named one of Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Up and Coming Lawyers and received the Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
Kathleen is a nationally recognized speaker and author.
She currently serves as National President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and serves on the Board of Directors of St. Louis Children’s Hospital Legacy Advisors. She is a member of The Business Insurance & Estate Planning Committee of the Association of Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU)
Kathleen is a former adjunct professor in the LLM program at Washington University’s School of Law. She was formerly on the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and was selected as a Registered Player Financial Advisor for the National Football League Players Association.
She has presented at AALU and the Top of the Table Meeting for the Million Dollar Roundtable, and she is an annual presenter at the Vistage Executive Summit.
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I am thrilled to announce Affinity Law Group, LLC has combined with Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C., effective Monday February 19, 2024.
Why Sandberg Phoenix? In my months of discussions with Sandberg Phoenix, it became crystal clear the combination provided immediate demonstrable benefits for our clients. With multiple offices in Missouri, Illinois, and Florida, and attorneys licensed in additional states, we will provide Affinity clients unparalleled support and bench strength in the practice areas in which Affinity historically excels such as corporate law (including mergers & acquisitions), employment law, and wealth transfer planning. As a result, Affinity clients will receive more proactive communication, improved responsiveness, and faster turnaround times on legal projects. In addition, because Sanberg Phoenix is a full-service law firm, Affinity clients will gain access to additional practice areas including intellectual property, tax advice and controversy, as well as fiduciary/trust, employment, and commercial litigation. Affinity clients will enjoy the opportunity to have one firm to address their needs across all practice areas and across the country.
In addition, the values of Sandberg Phoenix and Affinity align. For example, “We Put People First”. The Affinity team will be joining Sandberg Phoenix – my colleague, Jason Kinser, my Executive Assistant, Angie Brandt, and my Trusts and Estates Paralegal, Sienna Johnson, will all join Sandberg Phoenix, ensuring that Affinity clients experience a smooth transition and consistent staffing on their matters. Janet Arrow, our Accounts Manager, will remain with Affinity during the transition period before exploring opportunities with Sandberg Phoenix.
For me personally, the combination with Sandberg Phoenix means I will have a full administrative team to support me, allowing me to forego many administrative responsibilities and spend my professional time doing what I love – partnering with my clients to navigate life’s transitions; developing innovative approaches to the issues, opportunities, and challenges that impact clients daily; mentoring and coaching attorneys and staff; and delving into the emerging technologies which will allow us to provide more efficient legal services to our clients now and in the future.
What do you, an Affinity client, need to do in the Affinity/Sandberg Phoenix combination? Nothing! Because of the transaction structure, all Affinity clients and matters automatically transfer to Sandberg Phoenix effective February 19, 2024. If you have active matters with money deposited in Affinity’s trust account, the deposits will automatically move to Sandberg Phoenix’s trust account during the transition. Your billing rates will not change because of the combination. I will be personally overseeing the transition and your matters going forward. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact me on my mobile phone at 314-608-9165.
My new contact information effective February 19th is:
E-mail: kbilderback@sandbergphoenix.com
Direct Dial: 314-425-6933
Mailing Address: 120 South Central Avenue, Suite 1600, Clayton, Missouri 63105
We will maintain our Des Peres office during the transition. Previously scheduled meetings will take place at the Des Peres location unless you prefer to meet in Clayton.
Please note: if you have active matters, you will receive a final invoice from Affinity for work performed on or before February 18, 2024, payable to Affinity Law Group, LLC under our customary terms and conditions. Legal work performed on or after February 19, 2024, will be billed by and owed to Sandberg Phoenix. To learn more about Sandberg Phoenix, visit www.sandbergphoenix.com.
One of Sandberg Phoenix’s values is “We Wow Our Clients Everyday”. With the best wishes of Affinity’s Emeritus Members Bob Guest and Ira Potter, Jason, Angie, Sienna, and I, along with the Sandberg Phoenix team, anticipate the opportunity to “Wow” you in the weeks, months, and years to come.
Thank you for your business, friendship, and support over the years. I look forward to serving you at Sandberg Phoenix for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Bilderback, JD, LLM
